PM Modi monitors progress of 'COVAXIN' in Hyderabad's Bharat Biotech; hails efforts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 29 personally reviewed the development of coronavirus vaccine and the manufacturing process at Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad. During his visit, Modi congratulated the scientists for their progress in the trials of ‘Covaxin’ which is developed in collaboration with the ICMR and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). In a tweet, PM Modi said that the Bharat Biotech team briefed him about their indigenous COVID vaccine. The PM further added that the pharmaceutical company is working to facilitate speedy progress. 

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three-city tour to review the status of COVID-19 vaccine. PM Modi began his tour with a visit to Zydus Cadila's plant in Changodar Industrial Estate, over 20 km from Ahmedabad. From Ahmedabad, PM Modi flew to Hyderabad, where he visited Bharat Biotech’s facilities.

India's indigenous COVAXIN vaccine by Bharat Biotech is an inactivated vaccine and it is developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech's BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) biocontainment facility. COVAXIN is a highly purified and inactivated vaccine, manufactured in a vero cell manufacturing platform with an excellent safety track record of more than 300 million doses supplied, the company said. Earlier this month, the firm also started phase III trials of COVAXIN, which will involve 26,000 volunteers across India and it will be the largest clinical trial conducted for a COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

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PM Modi on COVID vaccine 

Meanwhile, PM Modi said that in order to be administered to the Indian citizens, the COVID-19 vaccine will have to meet all necessary scientific criteria while emphasising that the government will have to work together at all levels to ensure that the vaccination drive remained smooth, systematic and sustained. While interacting with Chief Ministers of all states and UTs, PM Modi specified that as the vaccine research nears the final stages, it is essential for the government to closely monitor the development and maintain contacts with all stakeholders. He also discussed the modalities of COVID-19 vaccine delivery, distribution and administration process during the meeting. 

While the price and doses of the vaccine have not been decided yet, PM Modi said that there is a lot of competition in the COVID-19 vaccine race as several firms are involved. He further added that the 'corporate world is involved' and different countries have diplomatic interests in the process as well. Assuring that the government will monitor the vaccine development while staying in touch with global regulators, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed out that the focus is on ensuring that the vaccine reaches everyone to save lives. 
 
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